


I Will Haunt You

by Barita (Rita_of_Roses)



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-05
Updated: 2014-07-05
Packaged: 2018-02-07 12:54:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1899759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rita_of_Roses/pseuds/Barita
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Knock, knock on the door of the house that he knew<br/>The air grows cold around me and you, it's cold<br/>You know that he's there<br/>-Stars, "I Died So I Could Haunt You"</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Will Haunt You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FedoraCat](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=FedoraCat).



> Birthday fic for my bab FedoraCat

Danny glared at his ceiling. He didn't want to sleep, not when he'd been confined to his bed for a week. No matter how many times he insisted he felt fine his family still treated him like he was made of glass. Well, he wasn't _really_ fine. He felt empty, like a part of him had died. But that's ridiculous. You can't partially die. Still, something wasn't right. No matter what he did he felt...wrong.

He rolled over and stared out his window at the night sky, counting the few stars visible through the city lights. A cold breeze rolled in and he shuddered as the chill assaulted him. He curled into a ball and pulled his blankets tight around him but it didn't make a difference. Another wave of cold air washed over him and he reluctantly staggered to the-

Danny stopped, paralyzed, his hand inches from the firmly closed window. He willed himself to wake up. This had to be a nighmare. He shuddered again and hugged himself tight. No, there was no way he was imagining this. Years of lectures and drilled information rushed up in his mind. _A ghost's aura_ _can_ _chill its surroundings._ His mother's voice played over and over, reminding him of one of the most telling signs of a ghost's presence. He turned and cast around wildly for the intruder. Nothing moved in the darkness.

"W-who's there?" He waited but no answer came from the empty room. He drew a shaky breath and began again.

"I-I'll scream. My parents will come a-and they'll tear you apart-”

"No! Please..." Danny clutched the windowsill to keep himself standing. Fear tightened its hold on his chest, making it harder to breathe. The hollow voice seemed to echo around him as his wide eyes raced around the room. Slowly a dim white glow faded into sight behind his desk. His breath caught in his throat and he realized he couldn't scream if he wanted to. For a long moment neither he nor the ghost moved. He narrowed his eyes in confusion. Was the ghost...hiding from him? No, that's crazy. Ghosts don't do that. They prey on humans and certainly wouldn't be afraid of one. But then, why...

His attention snapped back to the present as the ghost slowly rose from its hiding place. Acidic green eyes peered back at him from beneath long white bangs. Danny stared at the ghost and the trepidation in its eyes mirroring his own. As if he was the one to fear. Huddled behind his desk the ghost didn't seem as frightening as he had first thought. He gathered his confidence and took a deep breath. He had to ask.

"Are you...afraid of me?" A light green tint bloomed over the ghost's face and he retreated a bit so only his eyes were visible.

"N-no! I...I-I don't want to scare you." Danny gawked at it, unable to believe what he had heard.

"You don't-what? Why?"

The ghost's eyes flared, poisonous green light casting harsh shadows over its face. It shot up into the air, its spectral tail thrashing wildly, and brandished a crackling ball of ectoplasmic energy in each hands. "Do you want me to scare you?"

Danny's legs gave out and he fell to the floor, arms raised in front of his face in a feeble attempt to protect himself from the ghost's wrath.

"N-no," He pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper. He trembled, tears gathering in his eyes. The ghost hung in the air for a moment before the weapons fizzled out and its arms dropped to its sides. It stared at the trembling boy in horror.

"I..." It dropped to the floor and clutched its head in is hands, shaking in frustration. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...I-I didn't want..." It glanced up at the sound of choked sobbing from across the room and fixated on the terrified boy. It hesitated for a moment before snatching a blanket from his bed and wrapping it gingerly around the boy. It hugged him tight through the blanket, leaning its head resting lightly on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry...I'd never hurt you Danny." The boy stiffened beneath his touch. His breathing cut out and for a long moment neither made a sound.

"H-how do you k-know my n-name?" The ghost tightened its hold in response to his panic.

"I...um...it's complicated." Danny remained silent, shaking. The ghost sighed and shifted nervously before continuing.

"When you went into the portal...you should've died. But you didn't, well, not completely. The circumstances were...unusual, to say the least. The meeting of life and death at the edge of your world and mine, they both laid claim to your life and so...I guess you could say your soul split in two. One half that's alive and one that's...me. Your survival came at the cost of forfeiting half your soul to the dead." Danny shook his head, his eyes wide and unfocused.

"But, no, I didn't-I didn't do anything. I didn't agree to anything."

"I know. I'm sorry." As it reached down to pull the blanket tighter around him its white-gloved hand brushed against Danny's. Warmth exploded through his body and he jerked back in shock. The ghost sat perfectly still, watching the boy closely to gauge his reaction. He felt dizzy and high and in seconds found himself aching at its absence.

"I...thought that might happen. Sorry, I...I needed to know. I needed to know...how it feels to be whole.”

Danny turned to stare at the ghost beside him, still breathing heavy, and tentatively raised his hand to the space between them. Its eyes flicked from the offered hand to his face before it matched his steady gaze and gently took his hand in its own. Heat and euphoria rushed through him. For the first time since he stepped into the portal, everything felt right. He felt himself fall into the ghost, resting his head on its chest and his every instinct screamed at him to run but he didn't care. He didn't protest when it shifted him to sit in its lap and wrapped its arms tight around him. His eyes flicked up to study its tranquil face. He blushed and turned away, burying his head in its chest before he dared to speak.

"Do...you have a name?" It...he...thought for a moment, threading a hand through Danny's dark hair.

"Phantom. You can call me Phantom."


End file.
